Immor(t)al
by starlightsongs
Summary: "I don't mean to burst your bubble. You may be a superhero, but this isn't the type of problem you'd be able to fix." An unexpected happening in the Carbunkle household causes Brad and Tuck to be away from school & Jenny for a week. When Brad and Jenny finally talk, Jenny leaves, shameful and overwhelmed with a feeling she must come to terms with. Rated T for darker themes.
1. Prologue

_"Look...Jen...I don't mean to burst your bubble. You may be a superhero, but this isn't the type of problem you'd be able to fix."_

 _"Isn't that what heroes are_ ** _for_** _\- being able to fix_ ** _everything_** _?"_

...

 _"I failed, Brad. Just face it. I'm a huge failure. How can you even stand to still be my friend?"_

 _"Jenny, cool it. These things happen and sometimes it's better that we don't interfere anyways. Besides, you're not a failure. You're the town's favorite high-tech superhero!"_

 _"Maybe. But trust me... I never wanted to be."_


	2. 8 Hours Before

**_8 Hours Earlier_**

The 3:00 PM bell rang on a Friday school day at Tremorton High. The other classmates whooped and cheered, relieved to have finished their final exams and excited for Summer Break to finally begin. But in the corner of the room sat a much sadder looking android, her face rested on her hand, her large eyes staring blankly at the blackboard in front of her. Beside her sat a shorter boy with long black hair, freckles, and a similar expression.

"You'll see them again soon enough, I promise. The Carbunkles have extended family nearby, and their aunt has already been a huge help to them," Sheldon noted, trying to cheer Jenny up to the best of his ability.

"I'm supposed to have a high speed processor but...I just don't _get it_ , Sheldon. How could their father have die- I mean... passed away so quickly? Without any warning signs or any cries for help?"

Just last week, only a few hours after Jenny had finished her Finals Study Session with Brad, The Carbunkles' father had collapsed. Brad had quickly dialed 911 and an ambulance had responded immediately, but Jenny had received no alerts of an emergency. Dr. Wakeman had gravely explained to her that while she had been built to fight crime, she was not fully trained to heal, and was therefore not to be contacted by the hospitals. It had taken a few days for Jenny to fully recognize that their father was no longer alive, for the terms "moved on" and "passed" had been originally been processed by their literal meanings.

 _"Hi Brit...Hi Tiff. I know we're not the greatest of friends, but I have to ask you something. Have you seen Brad lately? What about his little brother, Tuck?" Jenny asked, hoping they would give an honest answer. Everyone else had shaken their heads dismally._

 _"Their father has moved on, Jen. He passed away a few days ago," Brit answered, looking slightly upset. She and Tiff shook their heads in unison, muttering "pitiful" under their breath. Jenny sighed._

 _"I get that! But we all move along, right? We move on our feet to get to this school and when we pass, it means we no longer see each other's faces for that period of time. It's part of everyday life, I don't understand why it's been noted with such sadness," Jenny rambled, feeling the heat of the Crust Cousins' eyes laid on her._

 _Brit and Tiff exchanged a look._

 _"We didn't think we'd have to spell it out for you, yet here we are. He's dead, Jen. No longer alive. You won't see him again," Tiff stated blankly before she started walking away. Brit followed her, glancing at Jenny for one second, one eyebrow raised, before she lowered her head and followed._

 _"I never even saw him to begin with," Jenny had said quietly to herself, quietly closing her locker door and walking to class._

"You have to understand that not every emergency is laid out the same way. Some emergencies are quieter, more secretive," Sheldon noted politely, but Jenny could tell he was starting to become frustrated. She didn't blame him.

"I suppose...I just... I don't know, Sheldon. I wish I could've done something to stop this," Jenny stated quietly, rising from her desk and zipping up her backpack. The two started walking to their lockers.

"Regardless of whether you failed this one time, you're still an amazing superhero! I mean...think of all the lives that you've saved from crime. You're the best hero Tremorton has ever had! I know Dr. Wakeman said that you weren't programmed to save people medically, but...I believe in you. I know you could if you really put your mind to it!" Sheldon exclaimed eagerly. Jenny froze in place.

"Sheldon, how did you know that I wasn't programmed to medically assist people?"  
"Uh...word of mouth?"  
"No, Sheldon. The only people who know about that are the hospital director, whom I'm pretty sure you've never seen in your life, and my mom. Now tell me, Sheldon, how did you know about that?" Jenny asked bitterly, her eyes narrowing. Sheldon smiled sheepishly, saying he had overheard her and her mother's conversation.

"Ah, yes. The conversation that took place inside my very own Sheldon-free house. You spied on me again after I asked you so many times not to!" Jenny yelled, exasperated. The sound echoed into the empty hallway.

"I'm sorry, Jenny. I just wanted to make sure you were okay," Sheldon stated. Jenny raised an eyebrow.

"Not that I didn't think you _wouldn't_ be okay or anything like that! I mean...you're **_perfect_** of course but I know that sometimes you might need someone to check on you? No, wait, I'm not implying that you're not self-reliable or anything like that! I'm just saying that it made _me_ feel better knowing that you weren't taking it too rough," Sheldon babbled. He smacked himself in the forehead. He couldn't seem to figure out how to express his thoughts without sounding like a jerk.

Jenny sighed and continued to walk.

"Sheldon, I know you mean well, but the spying really has to stop. It's becoming stalker-ish and creepy," Jenny stated. "Besides, I'm not the one you should be worried about. Brad and Tuck are your friends too, aren't they?"

Sheldon nodded, recognizing his mistake. The two had reached the school's exit.

"Well, I hope you have a great summer, Sheldon."  
"Yeah, you too, Jenny."

Jenny began to walk off when she heard Sheldon shout "I care about you!" in the distance.

"You don't care about me," she muttered under her breath.  
"You just idealize me."


	3. 5 Hours Before

_5 Hours Earlier_

Jenny sat in her room, sprawled across her bed, blasting the trendy digitized band, techET's new hits from her internal speakers. Magazines lay sprawled across the floor, each filled with smiling human faces with perfect human bodies. Normally, keeping up with the newest fashion looks and listening to some great tunes cheered her up, but it was different this time.

"They look so _happy_. Do they just forget about the fact that someday...they'll just...disappear?" She muttered to herself, tossing a copy of TeenSeen onto the floor. She sighed. Regardless of how many times she had tried to reboot her thinking, it kept getting stuck on three topics: birth, life, and death. She had _seen_ the topics referred to often everywhere she went - they were so common that to ponder them was considered cliche among the human mind. But as cliche as existentialism had seemed, she didn't quite understand it.

"XJ9!" A voice yelled from outside her door. She rolled her eyes.

 _Mom._

She immediately shut off her music and shoved all of her magazines under the bed. "Yeah?"

Her mother, looking weary, opened the door. Jenny, upon noticing her mother's downtrodden appearance, quickly changed attitudes and rushed to her side. She rambled off a serious of questions and provided their accompanying actions in a speedy motion.

 _"Are you alright?"_  
 _"Did you bump your head?"_  
 _"No? Are you not feeling well?"_  
 _"Could you be_ _ **sick**_ _?"_  
 _"I think there's some cold medicine in the cabinet downstairs!"  
"I can take your temperature! Oh good, it looks normal to me!"  
"Need any tissues?"  
"Tea with honey?"  
"Painkillers?"  
"A doctor?"_

"XJ9, I'm fine! Would you cut that out?" Her mother asked in annoyance. Jenny took a step back.

"I'm just tired because I stayed up all night working on some new updates for your operating system - ones that will help you live longer. Do you feel better now?"

Jenny blinked. Updates? Ones to help her live longer?

But did she really... _want_ to live longer?

Jenny shook off the thought. Of course she wanted to live longer. She _had_ to. She was a global response unit: she had to protect Earth from alien invasions. No way should she wish to pass sooner for selfish reasons - she had a whole planet of people to protect. That was, unless, someone better would take her place.

"Mom?"  
"Yes?"  
"How long am I supposed to last? Like...will I go out of order before you go? Will there be an XJ-10? 11? 30?"

Dr. Wakeman laughed.

"XJ9, you are for sure a forgetful one. You're my last prototype! I know you love your sisters and all, but you're the one meant to protect the earth from all harm. It's your destiny, as one might call it. According to my sources, you'll be around for a very, very long time. Maybe 50 more years, a few hundred more years, maybe a thousand!"

Jenny sat on her bed, speechless and trying to process the information. Had she really forgotten that she was the last prototype? She had tried so hard to forget about her mother coming to school to embarrass her only to find it would remain forever engrained within her. But all of her information about her lifespan had been a blank file until now. The scientist continued.

"Life is one of those things that we can't predict how long it will be. Everyone lives differently! Some humans use religion to help cope with passing, believing in a God setting up a sort of afterlife for the lost soul: determining that the heaven is the better place to be than the real world. Others think it's reincarnation, and that spirits never die but rather come back as new people."

Jenny looked at the floor. Dr. Wakeman sat on the bed next to her.

"I can imagine it's difficult to process the Carbunkle's current situation. Are you worried about losing the ones you love?" Dr. Wakeman affirmatively, as if she were solving the answer to a difficult puzzle and wanted to double check her answer. Jenny's brain, however, was in a state of scattered confusion. She, unlike Dr. Wakeman had assumed, had many more complex concerns. But she nodded, hoping that maybe some insight could help.

"According to average statistics, you should be able to chat and interact with us for much, _much_ longer. You must understand that Mr. Carbunkle's early passing can be considered an outlier when compared to the average human lifespan."

A fact appeared in her mind: "average life expectancy in the U.S.: Between ages 76 and 82".

 _"What a short range"_ Jenny thought to herself. Using her mother's logic, wouldn't many other passings be considered outliers?

"What if you or Brad or Tuck or...even Sheldon is another one of the outliers? Then what?" She asked quietly. The minute she saw her mother's pained expression, she immediately regretted asking it.

"We can only hope that isn't the case," Dr. Wakeman stated quietly.  
"But I believe in you, and I know that you'd be able to handle the case in a well-executed manner, if such were to happen."

Dr. Wakeman patted her robot daughter on the back and began to head towards the door, announcing that she was going to make herself dinner.

"Hey, Jenny?"

Jenny looked up, surprised that her mom addressed her by her preferred name.

"You may be considered a superhero in the eyes of the common people, but please don't put too much pressure on yourself. You can't fix everything."


	4. 3 Hours Before

_3 Hours Earlier_

Brad sat in his bedroom, looking through an old photo book. The binding bright blue and red pen scribbles from the 7-month-old Tuck- that old photo book was filled with countless memories. Brad remembered vividly how his grandfather had insisted on keeping his vintage digital camera. He remembered the way his dad used to groan "Dad, please! This isn't the 21st century!"

He stared at a family photo: one that featured him, his baby brother, his dad - even his mother.

Brad put the book down and thought quietly to himself. Something stirred inside him, a sense of numbness.  
Loss.

It was strange and new to him. He thought he was handling his emotions fairly well. He had gone through something similar with his mom's departure and in the past week he hadn't cried a whole lot - in fact, he thought of his father's death as a sign that he was in a better place now. Always an optimist, Brad tried his best to look at the world through a positive lens, seeing only hope and reason for all that occurs. His father used to pat him on the back upon hearing his bright insight.

 _"'Atta boy! One day, kid, I'm telling ya- with an attitude like that, you're gonna do great things."_

 _"Really? Do you think I could..._ _ **save the world**_ _?" 5-year-old Brad Carbunkle piped, twirling in his Captain America cape._

 _"I think you can do anything you put your mind to," his father assured him, pinching his cheek and laughing. His father then proceeded to wheel towards Mrs. Carbunkle._

 _"How's the baby doing? I don't feel much kicking!" He asked gleefully, patting her stomach. She shook her head._

 _"The baby is fine, hon, he's just a bit tuckered out. I'm more worried about your condition," Mrs. Carbunkle replied with a sadder expression. 5-year-old Brad whirled around the room, shouting. Mr. Carbunkle laughed in delight, disregarding his wife's troubled expression._

 _"Do you see our Brad, dearie? Look at him go. He's going to great things, you know. I can just tell," Mr. Carbunkle answered. His wife sighed in exasperation._

 _"He's a joy, of course, but please don't try to pin it on him to fix everything. You know he can't," Mrs. Carbunkle's eyes widened. "Unfortunately, I can't do much either. This pregnancy is starting to make me weary."_

 _Mr. Carbunkle grabbed his wife's hands._

 _"You're going to be alright. I'm going to be alright. We're going to make it work, I promise."_

 _The Carbunkles smiled weakly at each other while a tiny Brad yelled in the background._

 _"Citizens of Planet Earth! Do not fear! Your good friend, loyal pal, and hero to the rescue, 'The Bradster' is here!"_

His mother had later on passed shortly after giving birth to Tucker. Brad had been so confused as a mere 6-year-old. He hadn't quite seemed to connect the dots that her consistent exhaustion served to be more than just the effects of pregnancy. It had just been him, his brother, and his old man for so many years. Brad didn't even get the chance to know his mother that well and Tucker couldn't even meet her. But they made it through with the power of dad's positivity, despite his weaker bones and feeble muscles.

Brad sighed. He had known his father was sick for a long time, but would have never once guessed that his passing would happen so suddenly. It was as if he had forgotten that his father was human: his bright energy pure as a blooming flower, bright as a kindergartner's smile on Picture Day. It never fully occurred to Brad that he would pass - he had become a form of...immortal in his mind.

He turned around to look out the window. He remember how his mother used to point to the brightest star.

 _"You see that really bright one? It's illuminated with the most joyous spirits of those bodies who can no longer be with us."_

Of course he knew now that it was really filled with hot gas, but something inside of him liked to believe that perhaps his father's spirit had found his mother's in space. Maybe they were talking again, reunited. It made Brad smile a bit, the thought that both of them really could be together, a team in both life and death.

Brad heard his door open behind him. Normally, he would've asked for a knock first, but nodded, recognizing that it was no longer necessary.

"I can't sleep. I can't stop thinking about it all," Tucker stated, climbing up on the window seat next to his brother. Brad held his brother in his arms, hugging him tightly.

"I just don't _get it_. How could it have happened so quickly?" Tuck asked, looking up at sibling whose gaze was directed at the sky.

"I don't know," Brad said quietly. He pointed to the stars.

"Tuck, in school they're going to tell you that those stars are made out of hot gas-"

"- _Gas?_ Not like...the gas you get from tacos, right?"

The two exchanged a look and laughed, both relieved at the ability to laugh with each other again.

"No, Tuck. Gas as in a hydrogen and helium mix, but that's beyond the point. You see that big bright star up there?" Tuck nodded.

"That one is a bit special, and it's hard not to get lost in the beauty of it. I aim to be like that star: thinking on the bright side of whatever life throws at us. If it can shine through a polluted sky, I can be a strong hearted citizen in a time of trouble. Remember that one time we were certain the world was going to end due to a Cluster invasion? Well, it didn't! And it was because we had _hope_. It was because we _believed_ and worked together! As upsetting as it is that a dear friend has left us behind, we can only get by knowing that it was for the better. Maybe dad's spirit found mom's. Maybe he's not so sick in the after world. And maybe, just maybe Tuck, he's up there in that shining star, telling us that better times are coming. That you'll be alright. I'll be alright. We'll be...alright."

Tuck went silent for a moment, as if considering what Brad had said into serious account. He then burst into laughter.

"I don't know what kind of mumbo jumbo just came out of your mouth. Maybe try that on someone who understands you better?"

Brad was about to interrupt when Tuck slapped his knee.

"Of course! Silly me! Who's gonna understand a weirdo like you? You can't even get a _DATE!_ "  
Brad would've normally rolled his eyes at the statement, but rather smiled instead, thankful to see his brother laughing, starting to become like his old self again. Tucker yawned.

"Well, I owe you a thank you. I must get to bed, it's been a long-"  
Snoring soon followed and Brad looked down to find that Tuck had fallen asleep on his lap. He picked his baby brother up and carried him to his room.

 _"Maybe things will start to get better again. Be like the old days again."_ He thought to himself. He mentally set a reminder to wake his brother up early so they could walk over to the Wakemans' house-

He stopped in his tracks. Jenny.

"I haven't spoken to her all week... I hope she's not too worried about us," He muttered to himself. He reached into his pocket and dug out his phone to find a total of 5 unread voicemails since Monday.

"Oh no," he muttered to himself before calling the number back.


	5. 2 Hours Before

_2 Hours Earlier_

"Oil can number 25...oil can number 26..." Jenny muttered to herself while tossing each empty can into a large trashbin. She normally didn't like to clean her room, but she was feeling rather down, and her other distractions didn't seem to be helping. Her mom suggested the idea, and while she didn't particularly like to admit it, her mother often had good ideas.

Suddenly, her built-in cellphone began to ring, shocking her and causing her to drop the bag. She sighed at the empty oil cans scattered all across the room.

"Sorry mom, at least I tried" she muttered bitterly before checking the caller ID.

"Brad!" She exclaimed, picking up right away.

 _"Jenny?"  
"Yeah! It's me, of course...I mean... hi!"  
"Uh...hi."  
"Listen I'm sorry about all the phone calls! I-I didn't quite catch the news until it was too late and-"_

"It's okay. Thank you for trying to check in with me, I-I really appreciate it," Brad stammered. He sighed. He hadn't spent much time talking to people other than family or hospital workers. He felt uncharacteristically out of touch with social interaction.

 _"You don't sound like yourself."  
"Yeah I- I'm sorry about that...I've been so out of touch-"  
"-You've been through a lot, you don't need to apologize. Are you okay?"_

Brad hesitated to respond. He remembered his father's words.  
 _You're going to be alright! I'm going to be alright! We're going to make it work, I promise_.

 _"I'm alright. Or at least...I will be."_

"Brad...I'm...I'm so sorry. I can't imagine how it must feel," Jenny lamented softly, feeling sorry for him. Empathy was not her greatest trait, but she was improving greatly at her ability to sense one's emotions regardless of the words they give.

 _"It's okay. Tuck and I are tough guys, we have family nearby, we'll make it work. But thank you. Like I said, it means a lot!"_

"Of course, that's what friends are for, you know?" Jenny began to pick up the empty oil cans again, this time making a pyramid out of them.

"But...if you don't mind... I was hoping to ask you for a favor," Brad started, his voice trailing off. He looked at the tall walls and big space surrounding him. Having a larger bedroom had once meant freedom and sweet solitude to him, it was now starting to feel more like loneliness and isolation.

 _"Of course. Shoot."  
"I know it's a little bit late but...do you think you could come over?"_

Jenny checked flipped her eye mode's setting to check the time.

 _"Yeah I'd love to see you! Oh but- 9:30 huh. I'm warning you now it might be tricky to try and escape this house. Mom's been pretty uptight about curfew lately."_

"Yeah well...once you get past that you shouldn't have too much trouble getting in here. After all, Tuck's the only other person home and he's asleep!" Brad stated, trying to bring a bit of enthusiasm in his voice. Sometimes jokes helped him cope.

 _"Brad, that was really in poor taste."  
"I know...it was awful. But...yeah. Come over. I don't know what it is these days but trying to communicate through means of technology just doesn't feel...natural these days. Human. You get it?"_

Jenny stopped in her tracks. Had Brad temporarily forgotten that she was a robot? She was all technology and no human. It wasn't big news - she didn't wear an exoskin so it wasn't a secret. He had known all of this since Day 1.

 _"Brad, you're really starting to concern me. Aren't you forgetting something? I'm a robot. Of course I don't 'get it'."  
"Oh...right. My bad. I guess what I mean is I could use some face-to-face communication?"_

Jenny notified Brad that she would head over shortly and hung up. Her suspicions were right, he most certainly wasn't acting like himself. And she was most definitely starting to understand the toll that was taken upon losing a good friend or family member.

She couldn't help but wonder how much she'd malfunction when it would be her turn to say goodbye.

"Stop thinking about it, it's many, many years away," she told herself and walked out of her room, shutting the door behind her.

"XJ9, where do you think you're going?" Dr. Wakeman asked strictly the minute she saw sight of Jenny. Jenny glared.

"Look, I understand that it's the last night of school and some kids may be having a party but-"  
"Mom! For once, it's not some stupid party! Brad's not acting like himself. He needs someone to talk to. Face to face."

Dr. Wakeman pursed her lips.

"I know you're concerned about your friend, but-"  
"But what? What am I supposed to do, let him wallow in his own sadness? Come on, mom. We're talking about the boy that always comes in bustling in here with a ridiculous amount of energy, ready to face whatever the day throws at him."

Dr. Wakeman nodded.

"You're right. I just don't know if he's going to be ready to talk quite yet," Dr. Wakeman paused, her hand on her chin. Jenny shook her head.  
"He's the one who asked me, don't assume that I jump to conclusions without checking the scene first."

Dr. Wakeman nodded again, this time more sincerely, her expression downtrodden, but approving.

"Okay. It sounds like he needs a bit of help. I hope you two can help him move on, sort things out and all. Just remember not to come home too late."

"Yes of course!" Jenny exclaimed, before running to the door. She was about to step out when her mother shouted "Wait!"  
She rolled her eyes. There was always a catch when it came to leaving home. What now?

"I want you to remember that I love you. Like a daughter. That's what you are to me, my daughter. Not just an invention. It would break my heart if I ever were to lose you. Please remember that," Dr. Wakeman piped, her tone softer. Jenny tried not to display her feelings of shock - it wasn't often that her mother spoke so quietly or sadly. She had always thought that her love was implied, not needed of any reminders.

"Of course. And you're my mom. I love you too...always," Jenny responded quietly before jetting off, her vision slightly blurred. She didn't understand why her mom needed to remind her that she loved her. All she knew was that she couldn't possibly fathom the day they'd have to part ways.


	6. 1 Hour Before

_1 Hour Earlier_

The doorbell pinged and Brad raced down, eager to have company. On his way down, he had passed by Tucker's room, in which he overheard the boy's loud engine-like snoring. He smiled to himself, comforted by the fact that his brother could sleep so soundly.

He opened the door to find the face of his favorite...well... _only_ robot best friend.

"Hey, Jen."  
"Brad, I'm so sor-"

"You already told me that over the phone," Brad started, starting to become uncomfortable with the tremendous amounts of pity expressed to him this week.

"Take a seat, make yourself comfortable. I'm okay, really. I just...want to talk."

Jenny, hesitated, her mouth opening as if to say something. She then nodded and walked in, closing the door behind her and sitting on the living room couch.

"Do you...want anything to drink or-"  
"Brad."

"Right. Sorry. I guess I'm just trying to be as well of a host as my parents were," He stuttered, gulping as he finished his sentence. He saw Jenny's metallic eyebrow raise from the corner of his eye.

"I'm fine! Really. These things happen, can't do much about it. Tell me what's going on in your life."

Jenny rolled her eyes.

"Well, you know, it's the same old," she started.  
"Fighting evil aliens from taking over this earth, stopping crime on the other planets, making sure no harmless C-level astroids destroy anything...oh! And school ended. Though that just means I'll have more world-saving tasks ahead of me."

Brad laughed. Jenny looked up, confused.

"What's so funny?"  
"Nothing, it's just the way you always make it sound like your super important potentially life-threatening tasks are the most boring things ever. It's very typical of you, part of your charm."

Jenny smirked at that last statement.

"Part of my charm? What am I... some sort of TV-show celebrity now? Should I wink at an invisible camera the next time I defeat Vexus?"  
"Yes," Brad said defiantly. The two burst into laughter for what had felt like 10 minutes. But the feeling of joy soon dissipated, and the chill of tension returned.

"Crikey...if my life were a TV show, huh...things would be so much simpler," Jenny thought aloud to herself.  
"Why do you say that?" Brad questioned, curious. Jenny shrugged.  
"Well...I mean...I'm sure the reality would be distorted. Every episode would be resolved in some sort of manner," She continued.

"There wouldn't be as many moments where things _do_ go wrong and _can't_ be fixed. I mean, everyone thinks of me as 'Fix-It' girl, right? But what happens when I..." She trailed off, her voice almost becoming inaudible. Brad waved a hand in front of her.

"Jen? ...Hello?"

"When I fail," she stated softly. Brad opened his mouth, but the robot was already on a train of thought.

"The moments when I fight the enemy off but so many lives are taken. The moments when hundreds upon _hundreds_ of desperate cries for help around the world pop up on my screen but I can only choose so many to resolve. The moments when I don't even _pick up_ a signal for help and I'm completely unaware that nothing's wrong-"  
"-Jenny, it's okay."

"Is it really, though?" She asked aloud.  
"Yes. You're putting unrealistic expectations on yourself."

She sighed.

"Everyone thinks I'm selfish when I don't always want to do my job," She started. Brad nodded in understanding.

"Of course! As cool as jobs are, they can be a drag sometimes," He commented.  
"You never complain about anything, though," Jenny noted, relieved at seeing her friend's familiar personality trait. Brad shrugged.

"I guess it's just something my dad always did," Brad murmured, his expression changing.

"My parents... they were always a team," He began.

"I never knew my mother all that well, but I remember how my dad used to tell so many stories about her! She was such a hero, I mean honestly! Countless amounts of times, if she saw any sort of trouble, even if just on the street, she'd just immediately run towards it. She ended up adopting 10 stray kittens, and you know how my dad met her? He saw her run into the middle of the road when an old lady was crossing. Apparently, a car had been zooming at a fast pace and it was a disaster waiting to happen. Until she sped in, waving her arms."

"Before moving to Tremorton to live with my dad, she worked at her hometown hospital as a baby nurse, she was always so happy to greet new lives into the world. According to my dad, it's what kept her going when she felt down. She couldn't stand watching the news, stories of other people passing. But when she went into work to welcome in one more member to society, her hope in humanity was restored."

"She sounds very sweet," Jenny commented. Brad nodded.

"Yeah, she does. Although I will admit, my dad can be very idealistic, and I'm sure there were many things he exaggerated just so he could glorify her more."

Jenny chuckled at that. Brad's stories were always so fascinating.

"Now you're probably wondering about my dad, right? You know it's a shame you never got to meet him- he would've liked you right away."  
"Are you sure about that?" Jenny cringed. Countless memories of people running and screaming upon her first appearance flashed in front of her.

"Absolutely! In fact, I bet he'd be pretty stunned by your mom...he tried to build a world-saving robot once too."

"Get out!" Jenny exclaimed, shocked.  
"You may want to lower your voice a bit, Tuck's sleeping."  
"Oh yeah... sorry Tuck," She whispered before asking Brad to continue.

"Anyways, yeah. My dad was a big fan of superheroes. Not quite like Sheldon-level, so to say, but always down for a good hero story. Although it was tougher for him, because countless times at school he would tell teachers he wanted to be a superhero when he was older! And they would all tell him the same thing "superheroes don't exist". He often got redirected to positions of being a firefighter, which he did end up trying for a few years, but he still kept dreaming bigger. He almost became an engineer, but couldn't keep up with his university's pace, so he discovered online courses instead: learning about both engineering and computer science. He took a break to watch an old dystopian robot movie. The idea sparked when he thought to himself, 'why are robots seen as the bad guys?'"

"That's a good question. Why did everyone always think we would start an uprising?" Jenny commented. Brad gave her a look.

"Do you not remember all those times you were reprogrammed by the Cluster?"  
"...Good point. I try to forget about that, you know? Ugh. Anyways, continue."

"So my dad set out to work on the process behind it. His biggest issue was that all of his ideas were planned out so well in his head, but he just couldn't manage to get them out onto the paper. He wrote down a few notes here and there, but really spent most of the time daydreaming about what the robot would be like. And it was the silly things too! It was always 'well, maybe it'll have a goody cuckoo clock pop out at dinner time' and 'once they're done saving the world, it can make us french toast!'"

"That's a common trait he shared with my mom," Jenny noted. "I never understood why I have some of the features that I do."

"Yeah...he really did have the craziest ideas," Brad responded.

"It's just a shame because he was starting to get to some really valid conclusions - realistic sounding stuff, when his physical health began to decline. And then from there...well...you know."

Jenny hung her head down.

"Did they ever figure out what it was? Why he was so weak?" She asked. He nodded.

"Yeah. The doctors rambled it off to me many times. But I can't remember it, the whole scene was a blur, really. The only thing I remember is that...I couldn't stop crying. I lost a whole person - a really, really meaningful person, in just a single second."

The room remained quiet for a few moments. Brad had spent some time to give a silent prayer. Jenny seemed lost in her thoughts, her expression difficult to decode.

"But, like I said earlier. These things happen - cheap objects break. Well-working, but old, items become obsolete. Buildings fall apart. Relationships break. Just like all these things, eventually people drift too. We just...keep pushing on, regardless," Brad commentated. He stood up to go get a drink of water.

 _"I keep telling myself these things, that we push on and all, but... I can't seem to walk the talk"_ He thought to himself. This week, he had been very good at telling people he was fine. He had been excellent at telling himself that things were going to be alright. But he couldn't quite get himself to _feel_ it the way he normally did.  
He turned to look at the robot sitting quietly. She still remained lost in thought, as if trying to come up with the right thing to say. He immediately felt guilty, as if he had overloaded her systems. Maybe it had been too much to invite her over, but he had been so desperate for someone who was willing to let him talk about something other than "the future". He quickly filled up his glass before returning to his seat.

"Everything okay, Jen?" He asked, trying to sound as casual as he could. She looked up, her eyes weary.

"No."  
"Why? What's the matter?"

She turned her head away. Because she didn't technically breathe, she imitated a noise that had sounded like a deep breath. She then turned around back to Brad, her gaze angrier.

"What's the matter? You know perfectly well, don't try to fool me. If I had known about this, your father would still be alive."


End file.
